


Security Blanket

by carinascott



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-01
Updated: 2013-06-01
Packaged: 2017-12-13 15:04:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/825682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/carinascott/pseuds/carinascott
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Response to avengerkink <a href="http://avengerkink.livejournal.com/7940.html?thread=17022980#t17022980">prompt</a>:</p><p> Tony has really bad nightmares. Sometimes they get so bad he can't fall asleep unless he knows some one is there to watch him or be with him while he sleeps. So when he has a bad nightmare and can't he back to sleep he crawls in bed with Coulson and curls up against him until he falls back asleep.</p><p>+ if the team finds out</p><p>If you just want it to be platonic that's fine too. I just find that there is a distinct lack of Coulson/Tony stories out there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Security Blanket

It's odd, this thing he has with Coulson; Tony knows this. He's not even really sure what to call it. It's not sexual, at least not in the traditional sense. He's attracted to Coulson, is pretty sure the Agent is attracted to him, but for all that there is definitely intimacy involved, it's never moved beyond this somewhat odd, yet platonic arrangement that they have.

Tony tries not to question it, doesn't really want to think about the motivations for his actions, but he's grateful that Coulson allows him this liberty.

No, that **_Phil_** allows him this liberty. It's always Phil when their like this, never Coulson. Coulson buys into Tony's mask, to a degree; he accepts Tony's indifferent facade at face value, plays his own part in response. But when they are here like this, it's different. Phil sees the cracks in his veneer, knows the truth he tries to valiantly to hide behind his playboy persona; Phil knows the way that Tony's body sometimes trembles at night, lost in nightmares full of darkness and pain. 

Before the Chitauri, before Loki, before all the Avengers had believed Phil Coulson dead, Tony wouldn't have looked at the agent twice. Wouldn't have spared him more than a few seconds thought before going back to whatever he'd been doing.

But that was before. 

And here, after, it felt like a totally different world. 

Phil was alive, Phil was healing, and by some quirk of fate, he'd accepted Tony's offer of a place in Stark tower. Somehow Phil Coulson has wormed his way beyond Tony's defenses, taken a spot for himself in Tony's heart, when Tony didn't even realize there was a vacancy. 

Because of this, Phil is the only one that has seen Tony at his most vulnerable; or at least, the only one who has seen it and chosen to stay. Tony's not sure of Phil's motivations either, doesn't even think to question it. He just accepts that Phil is here, for whatever reason, when Tony needs him.

The elevators doors open silently and Tony rubs at his eyes sleepily, stumbling down the softly lit hallway towards Phil's room. He doesn't have to knock, Jarvis opens the door at Phil's soft directive to allow Tony entry. He stands next to Phil's bed, taking note of the sleep rumpled man lying beneath the blanket, the ragged pink scar on his his chest visible as he's only clad in sleep pants and a world-weary smile. It pains Tony, that ever present reminder of almost losing a man he had only tolerated at the time, but has since somehow come to love, in his own way.

He's grateful for the hand that lifts the blanket, for the way that Phil easily takes Tony's weight as he settles underneath the blankets and against Phil's chest. He sighs happily at the gentle pressure of Phil's slightly calloused palm rubbing along Tony's bare back.

He doesn't know why Phil chooses to be here or why he lets Tony come to him in the wake of his nightmares, but Tony's grateful all the same.

This time, when sleep comes, it's dream free.

**END**


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